andeews



(No Model.)

A. F. ANDREWS.

MACHINE FOR-GALIBRATING THE FUSE USED TO EXPLODE GUNPOWDER.

Patented Feb. 22, 1387;

WITNESSES.-

' ATTORNEY N. PEIERS, Phulo-Lifhugraphar. Washingmn. n. c.

UNITED (STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT F. ANDREWS, OF AVON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLIMAX l FUSECOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CALIBRATING THl-I FUSE USED TO EXPLODE GUNPOWDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,371, dated'Pebruary22,1887.

Application filed August 5, 1886. Serial No. 210,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that L-ALBERT F. ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Avon, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forCalibrating the Fuse Used to Explode Gunpowder, and also applicable forthe calibration of other similar rope-like material.

The following specification, taken in connection with the drawingsherewith attached and forming a portion thereof, completely sets forthmy invention.

The object of my invention is to provide a ma- U chine that willautomatically calibrate or test the diameter of the safety-fuse used forblasting purposes, and announce to the operator when the fuse is toosmall in diameter.

The necessity for a certain uniformity in the diameter of the fuse usedfor blasting and other purposes depends upon the fact that when the fusebecomes less than a certain determined size, depending upon the natureand thickness of the material used in its formation, the powder-trailbecomestoo small or its continuity ceases.

My machine is designed to automatically inspect the fuse at a very rapidrate and announce to the operator anyimportant diminution in thediameter of the fuse as it passes through the machine, indicating adeficiency in powder-charge. I accomplish this result by causing thefuse to be funwound from a drum and to pass over severalfriction-pulleys, finally passing under a roller attached to a swinginglever, which lever is allowed to fall forward when the fuse becomes oftoo small diameter and thus bring an adjustable spring on its end incontact with the teeth of a toothed wheel attached to one of the drums,which by giving out a loud buzzing or humming noise announces the defectto the operator.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, the sideof the frame nearest the spectator being removed to show the workingparts more clearly. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine, thelever being removed. 7

Similar letters refer to like parts in both views.

The machine consists of a simple wood frame, A, having mounted at thetop of its rear portion a large grooved-edge pulley, B, which is keyedto a shaft, 12, and driven from the main shafting through the pulley M,also keyed to v the same shaft, 1), and the pulleys P and-L, placed upona lower shaft, 19. A pulley, N, is also keyed to the shaft 1), to drivea drum (not shown in thedrawings)upon which thcfuse is wound afterpassing over B. The pulley L, driven from any convenient source ofpower, communicates its motion to the pulley P,

keyed to the same shaft, and the pulley P is in turn belted to thepulley M.

C, E, H, l, and K are grooved friction-pulleys turning freely insuitable hearings in the frame. 0, e, h, i, and 7c are the respectiveshafts upon which these pulleys are mounted.

f is the fuse.

R is a freely-swinging lever pivoted to the frame A, at r, and carryingat its lower end a spring, T, adjustable by means of a set-screw, t, andjust clearing, when the fuse is of the proper diameter, the teeth d of awheel, D,

which is secured to the shaft 0, face to face with the pulley C. Thesmall set-screwt permits of the adjustment of the lever for fuse ofdifferent diameter. A small friction-roller, g,

is mounted so as to turn freely near the upper end of this lever B, andis placed so as to be in contact with the fuse f as it passes overpulley H.

The fuse is passed first over the pulley K, then under the pulley I,over pulley H, between it and the friction-roller 9, attached to thelever B, over pulley E, under pulley C, and finally over pulley B,whence it passes to the drum upon which it is wound.

o 0 indicate belts.

The operation is as follows: The machine .being threaded with the fuse,as shown, entering at pulley K and passing out-at pulley B, and thespring M being adjusted so that its free end is very near but notactually in contact with the toothed wheel D, the machine is started,the pulley B revolves and pulls the fuse along. The friction of the fuseturns the pulleys and rollers as it passes over them. As

,long as the fuse is of uniform diameter the lever B remains quietly atrest; but if the fuse is defective in size at any portion of its lengththe roller 9 approaches the roller H, and the end of the spring T ispermitted to come in contact with the teeth of the wheel 1), causing itto vibrate rapidly, producing a loud noise and warning the operator ofthe defect.

It is obvious that the parts might be varied somewhat without varyingthe result, and the lever B might also be adapted to form an electriocontact and ring a bell, if required.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine for calibrating fuse and for other similar purposes,comprising a frame, a lever pivoted to said frame and carrying a roller,and a series of rollers on said frame, certain of these rollers beingdriven by any conven' ient means to feed the fuse through the machineand one of them being provided with an alarm mechanism, said leverpressing by means of its roller on the fuse as it passes over one ofthesaid rollers and being adapted to give an alarm if the fuse is of lessthan the standard size.

2. A machine for calibrating fuse and for similar purposes, comprising aframe and a series of grooved rollers mounted thereon, a lever pivotedto the frame and pressing against the fuse as it passes over anidle-roller, and a spring attached to said lever so as to come incontact with the teeth of a wheel and give out a loud sound whenever thefuse is of less than the standard diameter.

3. A machine for calibrating fuse, constructed and operatedsubstantially as described, and comprising a frame, A, upon which ismounted the power-driven pulley B, and the idle-pulleys orfriction-wheels O, E, H, I, and K, the toothed wheel D, and thefreelyswinging lever B, pivoted at r to the frame, pressing against thefuse by a roller, 9, and provided at its lower end with an adjustablespring, T, which can come into contact with the teeth of the wheel D andgive an alarm when the fuse is of less than any previouslydetermineddiameter.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT F. ANDREWS. Witnesses:

HENRY CLARK, GEORGE A. SAUNDERS.

